Multiple stopper unit



July 23, 1963 Filed Feb. 20, 1961 R. PJJEWELL 3,098,721

MULTIPLE STOPPER UNIT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR RALPH P. JEWELLATTORNEYS July 23, 1963 R. P. JEWELL MULTIPLE STOPPER UNIT 2Sheets-Sheet? Filed Feb. 20, 1961 INVENTOR RALPH P. JEWELL ATTORNEYSUnited States Patent Ofi ice 3,098,72 1 Patented July 23, 1963 3,098,721MULTllPLE STOPPER UNKT Ralph P. Jewell, Racine, Wis, assignor to MuellerManufacturing Company, inc, Racine, Wis, a corporation Filed Feb. 20,M61, Ser. No. 90,486 8 Claims. (til. 23-259) This invention appertainsto hospital and laboratory appliances and more particularly to thehandling and closing of a plurality of containers, such as vials, testtubes and the like.

In hospitals, it is a common practice to take specimens, such as blood,from a number of patients. Each specimen is placed in an independenttube, suitably identified and the tubes are carried in a rack to thelaboratory for the testing of the specimens. (During the testing, aselected chemical is usually added to the blood, the tubes aresterilized and effort is made to maintain the tubes in their sterilecondition. Each tube is separately stoppered and this necessitates thehandling of the stoppers with the fingers. Not only is the handling ofindividual stoppers for opening and closing the tubes a tedious andtime-consuming operation, but the likelihood of contaminating thestoppers and consequently, the contaminating of the tube contents isalways present.

With the tubes in the rack, with the specimens and additives, it iscustomary to rock the rack back and forth to commingle the specimens andadditives. As the vials or tubes fit loosely in the rack, it is notuncommon for one or more tubes to slip from the rack onto the floorduring the rocking process. This necessitates the bothering of thepatient or patients for additional specimens and the consuming ofadditional time incidental thereto.

It is therefore, one of the primary objects of my invention to provide anovel and simple apparatus 'for simultaneously stoppering orunstoppering a plurality of tubes in a rack without the touching of anyof the stoppers or individual handling of single stoppers.

Another salient object of my invention is the provision of means wherebyselected groups of tubes in the racks can be stoppered or unstopperedwithout afiecting the remaining tubes in the rack.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a top platecarrying a plurality of individual expandable stoppers for test tubes,with means for simultaneously operating all or selected groups of thestoppers by swinging handle actuated cams carried by the stoppers andcooperating with the plate.

A further important object of my invention is the provision of means forlocking all of the stoppers on the plate and for locking the tubes bythe stoppers to the plate, the plate being of such a character as tooverlie and cooperate with the rack, whereby the rack and plate can besimultaneously grasped by the hands of a technician so that the rack andtubes can be safely rocked back and forth without danger of any of thetubes slipping from the rack.

A still further object of my invention is to provide means whereby eachstopper body completely surrounds and encloses adjacent metal parts ofthe apparatus, where by the contacting of metal with the contents of thetubes is eliminated.

A still further important object of my invention is the provision of amultiple stoppering unit for test tubes, which can be readily sterilizedand easily maintained in a sterile condition.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in thenovel construction, arrangement and formation of parts, as will behereinafter more specifically described and claimed, and illustrated inthe accompanymg drawings, in whcih drawings,

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of my novel stoppermg device showingthe same applied to a plurality ofitest tubes positioned in a rack,parts of the figure being shown broken away and in section to illustratestructural detail, the view also showing the stoppers for one group oftest tubes in a raised, released position;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus in use on the test tubesand rack, parts of the view being shown in section, the parts in sectionbeing taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1, looking in the direction of thearrows;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional view through the apparatus showingthe same applied to the test tubes and rack, the section being taken onthe line 33 of FIGURE 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, theview showing one group of test tubes stoppered and another group W121the stoppers in their released, contracted position, an

FIGURE 4 is an end elevational view of the multiple stoppermg apparatusattached to the test tubes and removed from the rack.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar referencecharacters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,the letter A generally indicates my multiple stoppering unit orapparatus for use m con unction with a plurality of test tubes or thelike T and a carrying rack R for the test tubes.

The test tubes T are of a type commonly used in laboratory and hospitalwork, and hence will not be described in detail. It is to be noted,however, that each of the tubes has an open top terminal.

The carrying rack for the tubes T is also of a common type used inlaboratory and hospital work and the same includes end walls 5 and 6rigidly secured to a bottom wall 7. Overlying the bottom wall 7 arelongitudinally spaced partitions 8 and '9 and these partitions arerigidly secured to the end walls 5 and 6. The partitions 8 and 9 haveformed thereon a plurality of vertically aligned openings 10 in whichthe test tubes T are inserted. The lower ends of the test tubes T reston the bottom wall 7. It is to be noted that the openings 10 are of agreater diameter than the diameter of the test tubes T, whereby thetubes can be easily slipped into the openings.

The multiple stopper unit or apparatus A comprises a top carrier plate11, preferably, but not necessarily formed from stainless steel. Theplate 11 is strength erred by a longitudinally extending struck up rib12. The longitudinal edges of the plate 11 are also provided withupstnuek and outwardly extending strengthening flanges 13. These flanges13 also serve another purpose, as will later appear.

The top carrier plate 11 supports a plurality of expansible stoppers 14.The stoppers corresponding in number, of course, to the tubes T. As thetubes T are arranged in two longitudinal rows, the stoppers likewise arearranged in two longitudinal rows, and the stoppers are spaced one fromthe other to agree with the spacing of the tubes so that all of thestoppers can be simultaneously placed in the tubes and removedtherefrom.

Each stopper is of identical construction and each in cludes theresilient expansible stopper body 15. This stopper body can be formedfrom rubber or other similar material. Anchored Within each stopper bodyis a threaded stem 16 "which extends outwardly of the stopper body andthrough an opening in the top carrier plate 11. The lower end of thethreaded stem 16 is provided with a head 17 and this head is embedded inthe stopper body and the stopper body completely surrounds this head.Threaded on each stem is an elongated sleeve nut 18. The sleeve nutextends into the stopper body and through the top carrier plate 11 andbeyond the upper terminal of the threaded stem and the top carrierplate. Pivotally carried by the upper end of each sleeve nut, by apivoted pin 19, is an operating cam it. The cam is preferably of aU-shape in cross-section and straddles the sleeve nut and is adapted tobear against the upper face of the carrier plate 11. When the cam lever20 is in its lowered position as shown on the left hand side of FIGURE 3and on both sides of FIGURE 4, the lobes of the cam engage the carrierplate and pull up on the stem and the body 15. This compresses Westopper body longitudinally and expands the stopper bodycircumferentially and this forces the stopper body in intimate sealingcontact with the upper end of its tube. With the cam lever 20. in araised position, as shown on the right hand side of FIGURE 3, then thelobes of the cam lever are moved away 'fnom the carrier plate allowinglongitudinal expansion ot the stopper body and circumferentialcontraction. With the cam lever in its raised position, a stopper can beeasily inserted or withdrawn from a tube. It is to be noted at thispoint that the stopper body being anchored to the threaded stem can berotated so as to move the stem up and down and thus initially adjust thediameter size of the stopper body. Hence, each stopper body can beinitially independently adjusted of another stopper body. This isadvantageous where interior diameters of the test tubes might vary insize. Each cam lever terminates in an outwardly extending lip 21 and thelips of the cam levers are connected by rivets or the like, through themedium of a bar 22. In accordance with this invention, the bars do notextend the full length of the apparatus and the stoppers on each side ofthe carrier plate are divided into groups and a bar 22 is utilized forconnecting the cam levers of a group of stoppers together. In thepresent showing, I have provided two groups of stoppers on each side ofthe longitudinal center of the carrier plate and hence the apparatus isdivided into tour groups of stoppers. Hence, by manipulating oneconnector bar, one group of stoppers can be expanded or contracted bythe movement of such bar and the operation of the group of cam levers.Each bar carries any desired type of manipulating handle 23. Thearrangement of the stoppers and manipulation of a certain group ofstoppers is advantageous, in that, it may be highly desirable to onlyunstopper a certain group of test tubes at one time, or to stopper oneset of test tubes at one time.

The carrier plate itself preferably extends beyond the end Walls and 6of the rack R but in all circumstances it is proposed to have theterminals of the plate 11 end adjacent to such end walls.

With the stoppers inserted within the test tubes and the connector barsin their lowered position, it is obvious that all of the test tubes arefirmly locked to the carrier plate and dislodgement of any test tube ofthe gnoup tuom the plate can be eliminated.

Thus, if desired all of the test tubes can be bodily lifted from out ofthe rack by the carrier plate.

With the carrier plate positioned as shown and the test tubes connectedto the carrier plate by the stoppers, then the rack can be grasped inthe hands of a technician, with certain fingers overlying the terminalsof the carrier plate. This holds the carrier plate on the rack andhence, the carrier plate, the rack and test tubes can be all rockedtogether back and forth to commingle a specimen and additive, withoutany danger of a tube or tubes slipping from out of the rack.

Great stress is laid on the fact that a plurality of stoppers arecarried by the plate and that all of the stoppers can be simultaneouslyinserted within the tubes or removed from the tubes, and that afterinitial adjustment of the stoppers, the stoppers need never be touchedby the hands of an operator or technician.

Thus, the tubes, stoppers, etc. can be easily maintained in a sterilecondition. Actually, the entire apparatus A can be easily sterilizedwhen necessary or desirable.

The levers when in'their lowered position strike against the reinforcingflanges 13, and hence, these flanges 13 form means for limiting thedownward movement of the cam levers.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or thescope of this invention, but what I claim as new is:

1. A multipie stoppering unit comprising an elongated carrier plate, aplurality of equidistantly spaced expandable stoppers carried directlyby the plate and extending outwardly from one face thereof, and meansfor simultaneously expanding and contracting the stoppers.

2. A multiple stoppering unit for a plurality of independent con-tainerscomprising an elongated carrier plate, a plurality of independentexpandable stoppers carried by the plate and extending outwardly fromone face thereof, and means cperatively connected to the individualstoppers and cooperating with the plate for expanding and contractingthe stoppers.

3. A multiple stoppering unit for a plurality of independent containerscomprising a carrier plate, a plunality of equidistantly spacedexpansible stoppers carried by the plate and extending outwardly fromone face thereof, said stoppers being divided into groups, and meansoperatively connecting groups of stoppers together and for co-actionwith the plate for expanding and contracting groups of stoppersindependently of other groups.

4. A multiple stoppering unit comprising a carrier plate, a plurality ofindependent stoppers carried by the plate, each of said stoppersincluding a resilient expandable body having a stem connected therewithextending through the plate, a sleeve connected with each stem andextending through the plate, a cam lever rockably mounted on each stemhaving lobes movable into and out of engagernent with the plate forcontracting the resilient bodies longitudinally and expanding the bodiesradially when the lobes are in a lowered position in engagement with theplate, and means connecting the levers together whereby s-aid levers canbe simultaneously operated.

5. A multiple stoppering unit as defined in claim 4, and said resilientexpa-nsible body completely enclosing its stem.

6. multiple stoppering unit as defined in claim 4, and said stern beinganchored to its body for movement therewith, and said stem havingthreaded connections with the sleeves whereby each body can be turnedindependently of another stopper body to permit individual adjustment ofthe stopper bodies.

7. In a laboratory appliance, a rack, a plurality of spaced test tubesloosely fitted in the rack, each of said test tubes having an open end,and a multiple stoppering unit for the test tubes cooperating with thetubes and said rack including top carrier plate overlying said rack andin close proximity thereto whereby the rack and carrier plate can besimultaneously grasped, a plurality of independent stoppers carried bythe plate and depending therefrom and inserted in the tubes, and meansfor simultaneously actuating the stoppers for expanding the stoppers insealing contact with the tubes and for contracting the stoppers torelease the stoppers from the tubes, the stoppers when in their expandedposition defining means for connecting the tubes with the plate so thatall the tubes will be connected to the plate against the loss thereofand so that the rack, tubes and plate can be rocked as a unit in thehands of an operator.

8. In a laboratory appliance, a rack, a plurality of open ended testtubes loosely iitted in the rack and said rack having end walls, and amultiple stoppering unit for association with the tubes and said rackincluding an elongated top carrier plate overlying the top of the rackand terminating adjacent to the end walls of the rack, a plu- ReferencesCited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Van der HeideOct. 20', Willis Dec. 31, Fowler June 10, Scryrngeour July 17, AllenJan. 13, Moeller Oct. 17,

8. IN A LABORATORY APPLIANCE, A RACK, A PLURALITY OF OPEN ENDED TESTTUBES LOOSELY FILTERED IN THE RACK AND SAID RACK HAVING END WALLS, AND AMULTIPLE STOPPERING UNIT FOR ASSOCIATION WITH THE TUBES AND SAID RACKINCLUDING AN ELONGATED TOP CARRIER PLATE OVERLYING THE TOP OF THE RACKAND TERMINATING ADJACENT TO THE END WALLS OF THE RACK, A PLURALITY OFEXPANSIBLE STOPPER CARRIED BY THE PLATE AND DEPENDING THEREFROM INSERTEDIN THE OPEN ENDS OF SAID TUBES, EACH OF SAID STOPPERS INCLUDINGRESILIENT EXPANSIBLE BODY, A CAM LEVEL FOR EACH EXPANDING BODY HAVINGLOBES MOVABLE INTO AND OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CARRIER PLATE FORCONTRACTING THE BODIES LONGITUDINALLY AND EXPANDING THE BODIESCIRCUMFERENTICALLY, SAID STOPPER BEING ARRANGED IN GROUPS, AND MEANSOPERATIVELY CONNECTING THE CAM LEVELS OF GROUPS TOGETHER FORSIMULTANEOUS OPERATION.